Samsung World Championship

2008 Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links, Half Moon Bay, CA

Paula Creamer records eighth-career victory at the 2008 Samsung World Championship.

Tournament Highlights

Northern California native Paula Creamer carded a final-round 3-under-par 69 to win the Samsung World Championship at Half Moon Bay Golf Links. Creamer's four-day total of 9-under-par 279 (68-74-68-69) gave her a one-stroke victory over South Korean Song-Hee Kim (69-73-70-68=280, -8). The 22-year-old Creamer now has eight career LPGA Tour victories, including four in 2008 season – the most for an American since Juli Inkster won five times in 1999.

"This (win) means a lot," said Creamer of her victory over the 20-player field. "I put so much pressure on myself every time I come here and to finally have one, it feels really good."

Creamer rolled in three birdie putts on the day, but her most important putt may have been a four-footer for par on the 72nd hole to avoid a playoff and clinch her first win in the San Francisco Bay Area. She carded her second-consecutive bogey-free day – 37 consecutive bogey-free holes – on Sunday to take home the $250,000 winner's check and increase her season earnings to $1,742,733 – enough to take over second place on the 2008 LPGA Official Money List.

"Honestly, I didn't see it go in," Creamer said, referencing her final putt of the week. "All I heard was the people cheer for it, then it was like the longest two seconds of my life having it roll into the hole."

2007 The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club, Palm Desert, CA

The Samsung World Championship has always been known as a tournament with a stellar pedigree of champions - repeat champions, in some occasions. So it was only natural that Lorena Ochoa continued that trend in the fourth edition of the Samsung World Championship at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif.

Tournament Highlights

Ochoa became the fifth multiple winner of the Samsung World Championship, seizing command on the back nine with birdies on 14 and 15 en route to the best round of Sunday's final round - a 6-under-par-66. Her winning score of 18-under 270 not only held off runner-up Mi Hyun Kim by four shots, but bettered her 2006 winning total by two shots as Ochoa shot par or better on 68 of 72 holes.

Kim (a final-round 69) finished one shot ahead of Jeong Jang and Angela Park, who both carded final-round 70s to tie for third. Third-round co-leader Suzann Pettersen struggled on the back nine, finished with a 72 and wound up fifth.

It was the second consecutive year Ochoa closed with Sunday's best round. She closed with a 65 in the final round in 2006 to distance herself from then-No. 1 Annika Sorenstam, herself a two-time, defending-champion at BIGHORN.

"A lot of things can happen on this course on the last few holes," she said. "We're pretty much, you know, really focused on what we wanted to do. It was meant to be. It was my day because I was close to shooting low in the first few rounds, and it didn't happen, and today was payback."

The plaudits go on and on. Ochoa extends her all-time, single-season earnings mark to $3,318,421 as she clinched her second consecutive Rolex Player of the Year Award.

Ochoa's victory, her seventh in 2007 and 16th in her career, brought her a second consecutive Samsung World Championship crystal, a record $250,000 winner's check and another champagne-soaked, jubilant celebration on BIGHORN'S 18th green.

One of the storylines from Sunday was the 1-under 71 turned in by Michelle Wie. Not only was it her best round in two years at BIGHORN, but it tied her best round of the year.

Local favorite Nicole Castrale of Palm Desert finished 16th in her first Samsung World Championship. She finished with a 72 Sunday for a total of 2-over 290.

2007 Leaderboard

2006 The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club, Palm Desert, CA

The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, California hosted the Battle at BIGHORN for three consecutive years. The "Battle" events featured the Canyons Course, testing marquee players such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam on prime-time television. Annika Sorenstam won two of her five Samsung World Championship titles here, and Michelle Wie made the Canyons Course the site of her 2005 professional debut.

Tournament Highlights

Signaling a new and even more pressing challenge to Annika Sorenstam's supremacy on the LPGA, the two-time defending champion of the Samsung World Championship and five-time winner was upstaged in 2006 by one of golf's most exciting youngsters, Lorena Ochoa. The Mexican superstar carded a tournament low seven-under-par 65 on Sunday to edge Sorenstam by two strokes and capture the crystal trophy. The exclusive 20-player event was held for the third straight year at the stunning Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, CA.

Ochoa, the 24-year-old Mexican superstar, won her second straight LPGA tournament and is experiencing the best season of her four-year professional career. She erased a three-shot deficit heading into the final round and collected a $218,750 winner's check and her fifth win in 2006.

Ochoa's $2,342,872 in earnings make her just the second player in LPGA history to surpass the $2-million mark, and the ADT Official Money List leader is a virtual lock to win the Rolex Player of the Year award and the Vare Trophy (awarded to the season's scoring-average leader).

World No. 2 Ochoa opened with a five-under par 67 and was tied with World No. 1 Sorenstam after Thursday's first round. She slipped to a fifth-place tie after her second-round 73, though she quickly regained her putting stroke on the weekend and was a model of consistency down the stretch.

Ochoa played the tournament's final 36 holes without a bogey. She registered five birdies Saturday, then matched that on Sunday and added an eagle on the par-5 third hole. That highlighted a stretch in which she had two birdies and an eagle in the first five holes, a surge that helped her catch Sorenstam by the 10th hole. She took the lead on the 11th hole and never relinquished it. Sorenstam carded four birdies and a bogey on the front nine of the final round, but played the back one over par and made just one birdie.

2006 Leaderboard

2005 The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club, Palm Desert, CA

The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, California hosted the Battle at BIGHORN for three consecutive years. The "Battle" events featured the Canyons Course, testing marquee players such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam on prime-time television. Annika Sorenstam won two of her five Samsung World Championship titles here, and Michelle Wie made the Canyons Course the site of her 2005 professional debut.

Tournament Highlights

With all eyes on precocious teenager Michelle Wie, who was making her professional debut, all the chips went to Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who successfully defended her Samsung World Championship title in dominating fashion. Sorenstam brushed aside nearly 3 ½ hours of final-round rain delays with a 3-under-par 69 Sunday. That matched her 2004 winning total of 18-under-par 270, clinched a record eight-shot victory and brought Sorenstam her fifth Samsung World Championship title. The eight-shot victory, fueled by an opening-round 8-under-par 64, gave Sorenstam her eighth victory of the season along with the $212,500 first-place check.

Lost in Sorenstam's fifth Samsung World Championship title, which tied the legendary Mickey Write's mark for most victories in a single event, Paula Creamer won the distant battle for second. In the end, Creamer edged Gloria Park by one shot by virtue of her final-round 70 to Park's 74. Park finished two shots ahead of the triumvirate of Natalie Gulbis, Meena Lee and Cristie Kerr.

What about Wie? Before a record media turnout for a Samsung World Championship, Wie celebrated her 16th birthday earlier in the week and treated herself to a share of the lead after two rounds. However, she was unceremoniously disqualified at the end of the tournament for playing an illegal drop on the seventh hole of Saturday's third round. That cost her undisputed fourth place and more than $56,000. The violation wasn't reported to LPGA rules officials until Sunday, hence no action was taken until after tournament play concluded.

2004 The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club, Palm Desert, CA

The Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, California hosted the Battle at BIGHORN for three consecutive years. The "Battle" events featured the Canyons Course, testing marquee players such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam on prime-time television. In 2004, the first Samsung World Championship was played at BIGHORN and the Canyons Course once again proved to be a fitting test as Sorenstam staged a dramatic come-from-behind final round to steal the victory from Grace Park.

Tournament Highlights

Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam staged a final-round charge to overtake Grace Park and win the 2004 Samsung World Championship Oct. 14-17 in its first year at the spectacular Canyons Course at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif. Sorenstam fired a 5-under-par 67 for a total of 18-under-par 270. It was Sorenstam's sixth victory of the season - her fifth consecutive year with that many - and 54th of her brilliant career. The $206,250 first prize enabled Sorenstam to eclipse the $2 million earnings mark for the fourth consecutive year.

Park, who opened with a women's course record 10-under-par 62 and led through three rounds, finished second, three strokes back of Sorenstam. Lorena Ochoa, the 2003 LPGA Rookie of the Year, vaulted into third place with a final-round 70 and finished five shots back.

Fifteen-year-old amateur sensation Michelle Wie fired rounds of 67-70 the last days for a total of 5-under 283 to finish tied for 13th in the 20-player field. Wie's 137 total during the weekend was second only to Sorenstam's 136.

2003 Tournament Players Course at The Woodlands Resort, TX

TPC at The Woodlands, Woodlands, Texas - Host to the PGA Tour for over two decades. The TPC at The Woodlands was a stern test of golf and produced one of the most exciting finishes in recent years. Sophie Gustafson just edges out Beth Daniel and Rachel Teske for the title.

Tournament Highlights

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, the top player on the European LPGA Tour, fired a tournament-best eight-under-par 64 in the final round to overtake Australian Rachel Teske, American Beth Daniel and fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam and capture the $200,000 first prize at the 2003 Samsung World Championship, Oct. 9-12, at the Tournament Players Course at The Woodlands Resort.

Gustafson finished two strokes ahead of Daniel and Teske, the third-round leader. Sorenstam, who qualified for the LPGA Tour and World Golf Hall of Fame by playing in the Championship, finished fourth, three strokes back. South Korea's Se Ri Pak, who led after 18 and 36 holes, placed fifth in the first Championship at The Woodlands.

2002 Hiddenbrooke Golf Course, Vallejo, CA

For the third and final time, the 2002 Samsung World Championship returned to picturesque Hiddenbroke Golf Club in Vallejo, CA. It's a course that has been selected many times by Golf Digest as one of the Golden State's top courses. Located near Napa Valley's storied wine country and scenic, cosmopolitan San Francisco, the championship was set in one of the most beautiful regions of California.

Tournament Highlights

Annika Sorenstam shattered the 72-hole scoring record at the 2002 Samsung World Championship by eight strokes. Her four-round total of 22-under-par 266, fueled by a final-round 65, gave Sorenstam a six-shot victory over Cristie Kerr. Michele Redman, who opened with a 65, closed with a 68 to finish third.

The victory not only earned Sorenstam $162,000 – boosting her to an LPGA Tour record $2,374,000 in season earnings -- but gave her nine wins in 18 starts, a mind-boggling .500 winning percentage. It also marked Sorenstam's 40th career LPGA victory, making her the second-fastest player to 40 wins in LPGA history

"I love what I do. 280 down the middle. I want to enjoy it as long as I can", said Sorenstam, after blistering a 280-yard, fairway-splitting drive on the eighth hole. "That's what golf is all about. The crowd was laughing, my caddie was laughing. I was laughing."

Sorenstam had plenty to laugh about: four rounds in the 60s, 59 of 72 greens hit (81.9%) and only 108 putts over the four rounds. En route to her 65, Sorenstam carded seven birdies, zeroing in so precisely with her irons that all seven birdie putts were 10 feet and in.

2001 Hiddenbrooke Golf Course, Vallejo, CA

The 2001 Samsung World Championship returned to picturesque Hiddenbroke Golf Club in Vallejo, CA. It's a course that has been selected many times by Golf Digest as one of the Golden State's top courses. Located near Napa Valley's storied wine country and scenic, cosmopolitan San Francisco, the championship was set in one of the most beautiful regions of California.

Tournament Highlights

Dorothy Delasin drained a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, putting the finishing touches on a gutsy 3-under-par 69 that gave the Bay Area resident her third LPGA victory. Delasin's 11-under 277 was four shots better than Se Ri Pak and Karrie Webb and seven ahead of Kelly Robbins.

"It was more like an (U.S.) Open, no?" laughed Delasin, who earned $157,000 for her victory. "I mean the top 20 players in the world are here. I got lucky this week and won. It's amazing. It ranks pretty high."

Delasin, who lives in San Francisco, began the final round with a one-shot cushion over Pak and Webb, two of the LPGA's premier players. But as Delasin was firing her fourth straight sub-par round and completing a championship in which she was the only player without a three-putt, Webb double-bogeyed the eighth hole when her 6-iron shot found the right hazard and she couldn't get up-and-down.

Pak, meanwhile, bogeyed the 13th, 15th and 17th holes, three of the four bogeys that canceled out her four birdies. Like Webb, Pak closed with an even-par 72.

2000 Hiddenbrooke Golf Course, Vallejo, CA

In its first year under its new name, the Samsung World Championship took place at Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, CA. Designed by Arnold Palmer, Hiddenbrooke's course has been selected many times over by Golf Digest as one of the best courses in the California. Located near Napa Valley's wine country and scenic San Francisco, the championship was staged in picturesque surroundings. On the final round of competition, more than 20,000 cheered on their players. With live coverage from CBS and The Golf Channel, distant fans could follow the competition as well.

Tournament Highlights

Juli Inkster held off a late charge by Annika Sorenstam to win the 2000 Samsung World Championship. Inkster shot a three-under-par 69 in the final round for a 72-hole total of 14-under 274 (to tie the course record) and a four-stroke victory over Sorenstam.

"I have a lot of respect for Annika and her game," said Inkster after recording her 25th career victory, which was worth $152,000. "I never think any lead is big enough. She came right out of the chute and birdied the first hole, and I thought, 'Oh, no, here we go.' "

Inkster, from Los Altos, CA began the final round with a four-shot cushion over Sorenstam, but the Swedish star applied pressure most of the day by hitting her approach shots close to the pin. On the 12th, Sorenstam fired her sand wedge to about two inches from the cup, but Inkster hit her shot to within a foot and both players matched birdies.

Sorenstam birdied the 13th to get to within four strokes again and had several chances on the remaining holes, but failed to make the putts that would have made the match closer. On the final hole, Inkster ended it by making a 20-foot par putt from the fringe to complete her four-stroke wire-to-wire victory.

1999 Rush Creek Golf Club, Maple Grove, MN

The 1999 World Championship was held at Rush Creek Golf Club located in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Rush Creek Golf Club stretches across 260 acres of rolling prairie and natural marshes and was designed by award winning architect Robert Cupp. As women's golf developed throughout the world, the number of top female golfers participating in the Samsung World Championship also grew from 16 to 20. Accordingly, the prize money increased from $550,000 to $700,000 with the Champion taking home $150,000.

Tournament Highlights

1999's championship was characterized by the close competition between Korean Se Ri Pak and Australian Karrie Webb. After the first two rounds, with 138 (6 under par), Pak led the field by 2 strokes. However, in the third round, the tables turned. Webb's 3rd round of 65 (7 under) gave her a one-stroke lead over Pak.

As both competitors entered the fourth round, fans watched with increasing anticipation. Pak struggled out of the gate with a bogey on the first hole, but rebounded with a birdie on holes 6 and 11 to really put the pressure on Webb.

With Webb's double bogey on the 15th, Pak's chances looked brighter, but with a bogey on the 17th and a par on the 18th her hopes were left unfulfilled.

Webb stepped up to the par 5, 18th tee and needed only a par to claim victory. What seemed so easy turned out to be a nightmare. After her third shot found the greenside bunker, Webb ended up double bogeying the hole for a 7.

Webb's uncharacteristic double bogey on the on the 18th delivered Pak her third title of the year and her first victory at the Samsung World Championship.

1998 Tierra Del Sol Golf Course, The Villages, FL

After being held in Korea for the past three years, the Samsung World Championship made its US debut. The Villages provided a resort setting and a large gallery turnout. The great number of The Villages' citizens who participated in the championship as volunteers made this event especially meaningful.

Tournament Highlights

In the 1998 championship, Inkster and Sorenstam vied again for the championship. The previous year, Inkster's win had spoiled Sorenstam's chance at a third consecutive World Championship title. Now it was Inkster's turn to win two in a row.

Up until the third round, Inkster had remained one stroke behind. But in the fourth round, Inkster's 66 strokes (six under par) defeated Sorenstam's 70 strokes (two under par). Inkster won the championship with the score of 13 under par and 275 strokes.

1997 Lakeside Country Club, Seoul, South Korea

In 1997, the championship was held at Seoul Lakeside Country Club.

Tournament Highlights

With two previous consecutive year wins, eyes were initially on Sorenstam working towards her third World Championship. However, as the 1997 championship progressed, the attention shifted to other contenders.

By the end of the third round, Helen Alfredson seemed a potential victor. Alfredson, with a 66 in the third round, held first place with a 207. But other contenders did not relent. Another round remained to determine the true champion.

While Alfredson shot a disappointing 73 in the last round, Juli Inkster shot 67 and Kelly Robbins, 69. Alfredson, Inkster and Robbins each ended the round with a 280 score, sending the match into a sudden-death playoff.

In the first hole of sudden-death, a composed Inkster placed her ball on the green 2 meters from the hole. After Robbins' second stroke, her ball was within 6 meters of the cup. Alfredson's second shot on the same hole sent her ball over and past the green resulting in a long birdie chip which she eventually missed to put her out of contention. Robbins was next to try for birdie but left her putt 1.2 meters short of the hole. With Alfredson and Robbins no better than par, Inkster calmly sank her 2-meter birdie in sudden-death to win the 1997 championship and $131,000 in prize money. The 1996 Champion, Sorenstam, finished tied for 6th place.

1996 Ildong Lakes Golf Club, Seoul, South Korea

The 1996 championship was held in Ildong Lakes Golf Club, a course famous for its elaborateness and beauty.

Tournament Highlights

Defending champion, Annika Sorenstam, showed her dominance on the course and secured the championship title for her second year in a row.

At the end of the third round, Sorenstam lead with 204 strokes, only one ahead of amateur Se Ri Pak. Sweden's Helen Alfredson, with 209 strokes, appeared far from the championship, however, the fourth round brought new excitement to Alfredson's game.

During the fourth round, Alfredson shot an Eagle on the 12th hole and added birdies on 13th, 16th and 18th. Her 66 strokes in the 4th round gave her 6 under par for the day and a 275 for the championship to finish 2nd. Though Pak shot 5 birdies in the final round, she also had 5 bogeys - finishing the round at par and giving her a final score of 11 under par (277 strokes). Though Pak was dissatisfied with her third place finish, her competitive showing secured her an invitation to the 4 major tournaments on the LPGA Tour.

Sorenstam, impressively finished the final round with three birdies and one bogey. She won the championship at 14 under par (274 strokes), one stroke ahead of the charging Alfredson, to win $125,000 dollars in prize money.

1995 Paradise Golf Club, Cheju Island, Korea

1995 is a definitive year for the Korean golf industry. Samsung invited the USA LPGA Tour to contribute to the development of golf in Korea. Samsung agreed to a 5-year title sponsorship contract under the stipulation that Korean golfers would be given opportunities to compete with other world-renowned golfers. In 1995, the Samsung World Championship was held in Korea. The organizers held the championship at Cheju Paradise Golf Club, displaying to the world the beautiful scenery of Korean golf courses. 16 women golfers participated in this event.

Tournament Highlights

The fourth round brought heavy rain and mist, delaying tee time to 1:30PM. Initially in the final round, it seemed that Laura Davies' three-stroke lead over Annika Sorenstam would be enough to win the championship. However, Sorenstam's controlled putting gave her a total of 282 strokes, tying her with Davies for the lead and forcing a sudden-death playoff.

The sudden-death playoff started on the 18th hole (par 5 - 472 yards). Davies hit a 300-yard drive, reaching the green in two. After Davies third shot only 7-meter birdie putt remained to give her the championship. Sorenstam's third shot on the hole failed to reach the green, placing the ball 20 meters from the green's edge. Her situation looked desperate, but miraculously Sorenstam's sand wedge chip shot found the cup, finishing the hole for birdie. A shocked Davis failed to convert her 7-meter birdie putt and consequently, Sorenstam won the title and the Samsung World Championship.